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The digestive tract of horses is designed to allow for the ingestion of large quantities of forage in a continuous approach. The upper part of the digestive tract is not very large nor is it intended to handle large single meals so common in the life of a stabled horse. Large single meals of grain can potentially overwhelm the equine's stomach and small intestine digestive capacity, causing rapid fermentation of grain carbohydrates. This can result in a wide range of health problems, most notably ulcers.
Gastric ulcers in horses are serious business and more common than you may believe. They are believed to affect up to 90% of racehorses and 60% of show horses. Horses confined to stalls for extended periods of time can potentially lead to the development of gastric ulcers. Some other factors contributing to the development of ulcers include:
Gastric ulcers cause pain and poor performance in horses; they can also be fatal when left untreated. Stomach acids erode through the stomach or colon, causing bleeding and peritonitis. Recognizing the signs of ulcers and getting your horse the proper treatment is of the utmost importance. Treatment is commonly built around removing predisposing factors that lead to ulcers. Supplements can help in the prevention and treatment of ulcers.
Here are a few ideas for how to help your horse avoid or limit the extent of ulcers:
The ulcer treatment program you implement is all dependent on the personality of your horse. Some handle changes well, while others dont; they react with varying levels of anxiety and discomfort. Unfortunately, there isnt an easy method for determining a horses stress levels and whether or not that stress is causing digestive problems. The best thing for you to remember is prevention of ulcers is key.


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The Roots Mural to Be Unveiled in Philadelphia
The Roots are one of the most endearing rap groups in hip-hop. Now the hardest-working band are being honored in their hometown of Philadelphia with an honorary mural.
The mural, which was commissioned by the City of Philadelphia, will be unveiled at a dedication ceremony on May 31, according to muralarts.org.
Designed by Amber Art and Design featuring Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, the wall art pays tribute to the illadelph crew in such a unique and honorable way.
The mural is absolutely gorgeous. If you look closely, you can see all the band members profiles including Questlove's infamous afro and hair pick. There are also boomboxes and a tape that reads "Illadelph Halflife," which is the title of the group's classic third album.
"The first meeting with the artists was amazing; we shared ideas of what the final mural could end up looking like. It's beyond anything Tariq and I ever dreamed of," said Questlove about the mural. "And to have it along South Street, near the same corners we were kicked off of for playing our music is fantastic."
The Mural Arts Program, which launched in the Fall of 2011, provides year-round art education to over 1,500 students throughout Philadelphia. The multifaceted project also includes a talkback lecture series called "Roots 101" in honor of the Philly band.
The dedication ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET. There will be food, prizes, music and a special appearance by the Roots.
Then on June 1, the 2013 Roots Picnic will kick off at Penn's Landing. The all-star concert boasts an impressive lineup of music acts including Naughty by Nature, Macklemore, Trinidad James, Solange, Hit-Boy and many others.
Congratulations to the Roots on their mural and their educational initiative with the Mural Arts Project.

subset: commoncrawl


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Phone Doctor Plus is a device diagnostics Swiss knife for Android and iOS – Phone Arena
Top 10 Best Utility Apps For Android – 2016 – Safe Tricks
It doesn't matter how much free space you have or how healthy your battery is. Using an app like Phone Doctor Plus will help you pinpoint problems quickly and easily – BRIT+CO
If you're curious about how well your device is performing, download Phone Doctor Plus and get an idea now – AppSaga
You'll be surprised at what the app is capable of. – AppPicker
Apparently, it's a must-have for your Smartphone! – AppReviewReport
Phone Doctor Plus is loaded with features and it deserves a place in any list that mentions phone hardware testers – Beebom
How to Check If Your Android Device Is Functioning Properly – makeuseof
– Over 2 Millions of User's choice of hardware device testing app(iOS+Android)
– Overall Top1 app in 17 Countries(App Store)
– Utility Top1 app in 57 Countries(App Store)
– Avg. 4.7+ Stars of Global User Reviews
– Get all iPhone status at a glance
– Real system information and functions
– Record daily battery charge cycles
– Record and monitor network usage to avoid overuse
– Integrate [ hardware, battery, memory, and storage] information monitoring
– Multi-patent, Quick and precisely check 30 Smartphone hardware items.
Must have app! When you buy a new or used Smartphone: Eliminate your risk on purchase.
Get your old Smartphone checked before warranty expires.
***** Tests of 30 Hardware Items & Sensors *****
1. Multi-touch
2. Touch Screen
3. Earphones & Microphone (patented) : Automatically check the audio system from 300Hz to 12000 Hz by feedback system & FFT algorithms.
4. Speaker & Microphone (patented): Automatically check the audio system from 300Hz to 12000Hz by feedback system & FFT algorithms.
5. Call function: Check if the Smartphone can connect to base station.
6. Accelerometer: Check if the Smartphone can detect the acceleration and gravity.
7. Gyroscope: Check if the Smartphone can detect the orientation.
8. Proximity Sensor: Check whether the proximity sensor can normally detect the approach of your face and shuts down the screen to avoid sense errors.
9. Display: Check display of monitor.
10. Compass: Check the stability of the compass.
11. Storage: Check the Storage speed.
12. Memory: Make sure the memory access speed is ok.
13. Spec Check: To confirm if it's the exact Smartphone spec you bought in case of any spec error.
14. CPU: Use a benchmark to test performance.
15. Camera
16. Vibration (patented): Automatically check the vibrator.
17. Flash (patented): Automatically check the flash light.
18. Earphone jack: Detect if the earphone jack can detect the insertion of earphones.
20. 3G chip: Detect if the 3G chip can connect to the base station.
21. WiFi: Detect if the Smartphone can connect to WiFi AP.
22. Bluetooth: Check if Bluetooth can be turned on and connect to other iDevice.
23. Silent & Volume Control Button: Test mute and volume button.
24. Home Button
25. Sleep Button
26.Temperature Sensor
27.Humidity Sensor
28.Pressure Sensor
29.Step Counter
30.Light sensor
What's New
– Fixes crashing problems
Additional information
Phone Doctor Plus
1,000,000+ downloads
iDea Mobile Tech Inc.


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LISWire: Gale's New Classroom in Context (CLiC) Resources Help Hasten the Digital Curriculum Transition
0May 31st, 2012LISWireFarmington Hills, Mich., May 31, 2012 — Gale, part of Cengage Learning and a leading publisher of research and reference resources for libraries, schools and businesses, today announced Classroom in Context (CLiC), a curriculum-based family of resources designed to supplement textbooks and enhance learning with authoritative, media-rich content from Gale's award-winning In Context product suite.
Evolved from Gale's successful custom digital curriculum alignment program, in which Gale worked directly with schools to create online learning portals, CLiC is designed to increase student engagement, provide teachers with current digital content, and help school administrators make the transition to digital curriculum. Delivered through a unique portal experience, CLiC also has the flexibility to be easily integrated into an existing Learning Management System (LMS). Since CLiC can be used in the classroom, students can follow along and conduct research as they go, which also helps librarians accelerate usage of library products.
"After experiencing widespread success with our custom digital curriculum program, we wanted to create an easy way for schools to purchase courses off the shelf for the most-studied subjects," said Peter Scott, publisher, classroom and library solutions, Gale. "With CLiC, we are offering districts an instructional path to robust digital content and an engaging platform for twenty-first century learners, while also bridging the gap from the library to classroom."
CLiC resources are aligned to universal themes, units and topics found in national and state curriculum frameworks and many nationally-adopted textbooks. The national curriculum framework provides core learning goals, including real world skills and knowledge that students need to be successful after they graduate. By utilizing CLiC, administrators, librarians and teachers can ensure they're preparing students for college and real world challenges. With options to customize content selection and add new content, CLiC is a powerful and highly versatile tool for any classroom.
"Gale's custom designed Earth Science portal is revolutionizing the way we teach and learn about Earth Science in Rockville Centre," said Chris Pellettieri, assistant superintendent, Rockville Centre Schools, and one of the first adopters of Gale's custom digital curriculum program. "Our students are currently utilizing true twenty-first century skills by working in a safe, vetted, up-to-date portal, chock full of informational text, video, podcasts and the like, all from an abundance of rich sources and all at the click of a button."
The CLiC product suite currently includes high school Biology, Chemistry, U.S History and World History, with Earth Science and Government underway. Customers that purchase CLiC resources are provided with unlimited school-wide and remote access anytime, anywhere with an internet connection.
To learn more about CLiC or to request a free trial, visit http://www.gale.cengage.com/clic or contact Kristina Massari at firstname.lastname@example.com.
About Cengage Learning and Gale
Cengage Learning is a leading provider of innovative teaching, learning and research solutions for the academic, professional and library markets worldwide. Gale, part of Cengage Learning, serves the world's information and education needs through its vast and dynamic content pools, which are used by students and consumers in their libraries, schools and on the Internet. It is best known for the accuracy, breadth and convenience of its data, addressing all types of information needs – from homework help to health questions to business profiles – in a variety of formats. For more information, visit www.cengage.com or www.gale.cengage.com.###


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The [Libelium] team wanted to help people in Japan measure radiation in their surroundings following the nuclear accident in Fukushima. Because of the affordability and seeming ubiquity of the Arduino platform, they have been hard at work this last month trying to get their Geiger counter sensor board for an Arduino out the door. We think they've done a remarkable job.
A Geiger tube is a remarkably simple device, but getting the part can be a fairly expensive proposition. Thankfully, [Libelium] has already tested and verified a number of tubes from different manufacturers – very helpful if you don't want to be tied down to one specific component.
This looks like this is just the sort of thing that the folks at [Seed Studio] wanted for an open hardware radiation detector, and [Libelium] has already shipped their first batch to the Tokyo Hackerspace. It's good to know that help is going where it's needed.
Video of the sensor board being tested after the break.


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We Get Gutters Clean Rochester
The Best Service At The Right Price. We Are Here To Help Make Your Life Easy.
We Get Gutters Clean Rochester can help you with your rain gutter cleaning needs. Our proven, high-quality rain gutter cleaning and inspection service is ensured to get your gutters clean regardless how blocked they may be. You will never again have to worry about cleaning them yourself. We Get Gutters Clean offers national gutter and downspout cleaning services.
Rochester () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, and Yonkers, with a population of 211,328 at the 2020 United States census. Located in Western New York, the city of Rochester forms the core of a larger metropolitan area with a population of 1 million people, across six counties. The city was one of the United States' first boomtowns, initially due to the fertile Genesee River Valley, which gave rise to numerous flour mills, and then as a manufacturing center, which spurred further rapid population growth.Rochester rose to prominence as the birthplace and home of some of America's most iconic companies, in particular Eastman Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb (along with Wegmans, Gannett, Paychex, Western Union, French's, Constellation Brands, Ragú, and others), by which the region became a global center for science, technology, and research and development. This status has been aided by the presence of several internationally renowned universities (notably the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology) and their research programs; these schools, along with many other smaller colleges, have played an increasingly large role in Greater Rochester's economy. Rochester has also played a key part in US history as a hub for certain important social and political movements, especially abolitionism and the women's rights movement.Today, Rochester's economy is defined by technology and education (aided by a highly educated workforce, research institutions, and other strengths born in its past).
19th Ward, 19th Ward Community Association, Arnett, Brown Square, Browncroft, Charles House Area Council, Charlotte, City Hall Historic District, City of Rochester NET Office, Cobbs Hill, Conea, Connected Communities, Corn Hill, Culver & Merchants, Dutchtown


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Aaron Swartz Memorial in SF - Our First Digital Liberties Martyr?
I attended the Aaron Swartz memorial Thursday evening at the Internet Archive building (above) in San Francisco where several hundred people gathered to mourn his passing.
It was an excellent turnout organized by Internet Archive founder Brewster Kahle and supporters. And it was a perfect setting, in a wonderful former Christian Science church (see below).
I'll be posting more later, and exploring the future of Aaron Swartz, lost at a tragically early age, and now in death, hoisted onto the shoulders of others and recruited as an activist for a wide number of causes, including the liberation of big data in academia and in publicly funded research.
I witnessed the beginnings of his canonization as speaker after speaker, some knowing him, and others that didn't, begin the construction of a mythology around Aaron Swartz, that will grow ever larger.
"His canonization is inevitable," John Gilmore, co-founder of the Electronic Freedom Foundation, told me.
Others, such as Alex Stamos, one of the speakers that evening, told me that nothing can stop his "canonization" but he disagreed with it.
"I worry that a 16-year old kid that gets trapped in similar circumstances will take their life as Aaron did."
What role did Aaron's depression play in his suicide? Was it a vindictive US government prosecution because of his activism and whistle blowing activities that conspired against him?
Or, as suggested by John Gilmore, was it a lack of activism by others to rally around his court case and causes that paved the road to his suicide?
I'll be writing more on this subject, based on many conversations with people that evening, and I'll be posting more photos and videos as I process them.
Here is an except from the speech given by Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman, Aaron Swartz's girlfriend, who is convinced that the US justice system led to his suicide. She says, "Aaron's death should radicalize us."


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F.G.A. Dauverné, 20 Etudes variées pour trompette chromatique, Ed. Jean-Louis Couturier (Noisy-le-Sec France: Sempre più Editions SP0014, 2012).
Louis Ganne (1862-1923), Vieille chanson Fantaisie-Gavotte pour cornet et piano, Ed. Jean-Louis Couturier (Noisy-le-Sec France: Sempre più Editions SP0022, 2012).
Today Louis Ganne is regarded as a minor 19th century composer, but in his day Ganne was highly regarded and composed over 200 works (including songs, comic operas, operettas, ballet scores, and many dance pieces). Ganne entered the Paris Conservatoire where he studied organ under César Franck and began his career as a composer and conductor. Jean-Louis Couturier has brought out this lovely cornet solo piece to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth. [Editor's note: the publisher has put a short audio excerpt of the work on their website BP]
The source of this edition is in the Bibliothéque nationale and was first published in 1888. This short piece (91 measures) is a lively and spirited work of modest difficulty and a modest two octave range, A - a''. The piece is filled with 16th note and some 32nd note passages reminiscent of pieces in the Dauverné method of some three decades earlier. This edition includes a piano part as well as C and Bb cornet parts. It is a welcome addition to the cornet repertoire.
Couturier's edition of Dauverné's 20 Etudes variées pour trompette chromatique is actually several selections from the famous method of 1857. This modern edition numbers the etudes 1 – 20 but in fact they are from different sections of the method and have a different original numbering. Etudes 1-12 in this edition are from "12 Etudes Melodiques" (page 248 in my facsimile edition published by International Music Diffusion). Etudes 13- 17 correspond to numbers 1 – 5 in the original edition in the "20 Etudes Caractéristiques et Mélodiques" section (page 266 in the IMD edition) and Etude 18 in the Courturier edition corresponds to Etude 20 in the original edition. The last etude in the modern edition, no. 19, corresponds to Etude 11 in the original edition (page 230) from the section titled "12 Etuders Mélodiques". Courturier did mention those different sections in his fine notes (in French and English translation by Elizabeth Guill) but it would have been helpful if this edition had indicated the original numbers. Courturier presents parts that are transposed from the original notation with parts for Bb trumpet. My edition had an extra Erratum page correcting an unfortunate measure rest which is not in the actual part. Courturier's edition in a great improvement over the facsimile edition in that it is less cramped and much easier to read than the original. The music is printed on large size sturdy stock. We owe Jean-Louis Couturier much thanks for his research in 19th century French brass music and look forward to future editions.
-- Jeffrey Nussbaum


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Fixed Blade Knives
Here at Blade HQ, we offer thousands of fixed blade models for any occasion. Shop a huge selection of the best fixed blade Bowie knives, kitchen knives, tactical, and everything in between. Handy for hunting, camping, operating, Crocodile dundee-ing, or just a simple EDC, a good fixed blade knife can do it all.


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Central Valley project
Central Valley project, central Calif., long-term general scheme for the utilization of the water of the Sacramento River basin in the north for the benefit of the farmlands of the San Joaquin Valley in the south, undertaken by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in 1935. The program's concerns are flood control; improvement of navigation; the development of hydroelectric power, irrigation, and municipal and industrial water supply; protection of the Sacramento delta from seawater encroachment; and the propagation and preservation of fish and wildlife. Shasta and Keswick dams on the Sacramento River, and Friant Dam, on the San Joaquin River, were among the first units built. Canals, such as the Friant-Kern, the Madera, the Delta Cross Channel (which uses Sacramento water to fight soil salinity in the delta), and the Delta-Mendota, are used to transport water throughout the valley. Among the hydroelectric dams are San Luis, Spring Creek, Judge Francis Carr, and Auburn. Folsom Dam is one of the several units constructed in the valley by the U.S. Corps of Engineers.


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My review
Winter being the harshest on the skin, I was searching for a soap which would be gentle and leave my face feeling moisturised. Face having the most sensitive skin, I felt any soap which makes my face feel pampered, would automatically be good for the entire body.
Soulflower, being the company which has been there for a few years now, prides itself for manufacturing handmade herbal 100% pure natural and vegan soaps, free from sls, chemicals, synthetic color or fragrance. The company stamps the ingredients on its every bar.
The company does contend that lavender flower and essential oil soothes skin, exfoliates and revitalizes dull flaky skin. Olive oil hydrates and softens skin castor oil moisturizes dry skin. Coconut oil protects skin, restores the damaged skin, making it soft and supple. Palm oil and palm kernel oil have soothing properties it also moisturizes skin and helps regain its softness. Stearic acid and vitamin E deep cleanse skin, give radiance and help your skin look younger. Extracted from the fatty portions of lavender flower, which is a slice of natural pure essence, is used to preserve the nutrients.
I have been using this soap for the past 4 months, and I do feel that this is one of the better soaps, especially for the dry winter season, available both in India and now in USA (since 2016). There has definitely been a positive result in this winter, my skin does not feel dried out as with the other soaps, though moisturizer regime is still strictly followed.
The soap comes double packed in a bubble wrap with a silicon drying agent sachet and a tight plastic covering. So, even in the rains, the soap is well protected.
At 150 gms, it quite a big bar to be used comfortably, so it can be cut into 2. The soap being handmade is butter smooth to cut. The lavender fragrance is heavenly and soothing, everything it claims to be. Lavender helps the skin heal itself, preventing scarring and balancing the oil production. So can be safely used in acne and other skin problems. Unless the dermatologist has specified a medicated soap.
Everyone feels that if there is adequate lather, then the soap works. But the reality is that, lather is formed due to the preservatives and the hardening agents present in the soap, the so called parabens and sls. So this soap does not produce too much of a lather, but using a loofah or a scrub helps the lather to form easily.
I had given this soap for everyone in the family to use, to test the verity of the product, and this is what the general consensus was
- The soap keeps the skin well moisturised. It is pleasure to use it in winter.
- The lather is quite less, and it has a purple tinge. My dad did not like that.
- Lavender has a floral aroma, we all loved it, it relaxed and brought a sense of calm to us. My dad and brother-in-law felt it is too girly.
- None of us had any breakouts, though we are not prone to acne, but our skin is extremely sensitive
- It melts easily, so it has to be kept in a dry place after bath. It cannot be used during the rains or in summer in a humid city like Mumbai which is saturated with water vapor, even in summer, so it would not retain its shape. It would require extra work of drying out the soap.
- The soap, being handmade, leaves a purple coating in the soap dish, which was not liked by some.
- The soap is expensive at 250 INR, but it lasts more than a month. And the price goes down during a sale.
Soulflower lavender soap is a mild, gentle soap with adequate lather, and a wonderful calming fragrance, great for toning and revitalizing skin, suitable for all skin types.
My rating : 4.5 stars
Price : 250 INR
(buy it during a sale, it works out well then, but it is still on the expensive side)
About the Company
A Pioneering Natural Healthy Living, Soulflower's natural personal care essentials are made from hand-picked herbal & medicinal plants, using some of the ancient therapeutic remedies. They are also free from harmful preservatives or chemicals. Soulflower product portfolio includes Handmade Soaps, Essential oils, Coldpressed Carrier Oils, Massage Oils, Bath Salts, Roll Ons.
Local Sourcing, a package of fresh & pure ingredients, all their products are the combination of ingredients that are sourced from freshest & purest sustainable local resources. Their raw materials are 100% Pure, Natural & Vegan. Soulflower is both Halal and FDA certified.
(pic from Soulflower website)


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Nanoparticle Immunity To Anthrax
MICHIGAN - A vaccine against anthrax that is more effective and easier to administer than the present vaccine has proved highly effective in tests in mice and guinea pigs, report University of Michigan Medical School scientists in the August issue of Infection and Immunity.Anthrax under the microscope |
The scientists were able to trigger a strong immune response by treating the inside of the animals' noses with a "nanoemulsion" – a suspension of water, soybean oil, alcohol and surfactant emulsified to create droplets of only 200 to 300 nanometers in size. It would take about 265 of the droplets lined up side by side to equal the width of a human hair.
The oil particles are small enough to ferry a key anthrax protein inside the nasal membranes, allowing immune-system cells to react to the protein and initiate a protective immune response. That primes the immune system to promptly fight off infection when it encounters the whole microbe.
Besides eliminating the need for needles, the nanoemulsion anthrax vaccine has another advantage, the researchers say: It is easy to store and use in places where refrigeration is not available.
An effective and easy-to-administer vaccine would be a valuable tool for health authorities dealing with any future attack in which a terrorist might spread anthrax microbes. The researchers say a nasal nanoemulsion-based anthrax vaccine, if it proves effective in humans, could be given easily to people even after they are exposed in an anthrax attack, along with antibiotics. With some diseases, vaccines given after exposure are used to boost the speed of the immune response.
"Anthrax spores can remain in the environment or even in the lungs of exposed individuals for some time. Nasal vaccination could be given to build up immunity after anthrax exposure and improve the outcome of other treatments," says Anna Bielinska, Ph.D., the paper's lead author and a scientist at the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences at the U-M. She is also an assistant research professor in the Allergy Division of Internal Medicine at the U-M Medical School.
In the 2001 attack in which anthrax spores were mailed to members of Congress and reporters, some anthrax-exposed individuals were given antibiotics but not the existing anthrax vaccine, because it requires six injections over a period of six months and may cause adverse reactions.
In the new study, the U-M team combined the nanoemulsion and a recombinant protein of Bacillus anthracis to make the vaccine, which they gave first to mice in either one or two applications. They found the animals developed several types of effective immune response. The vaccine produced both systemic and cellular immunity, meaning that the body produces antibodies and primes specific cells throughout the body to fend off anthrax infection. The vaccine also induced immunity on the mucous membranes of the nose and lungs, where inhaled anthrax spores enter the body and start a process that can cause illness and death.
"We saw protective immunity in the animals after only two administrations rather than six," says James R. Baker, Jr., M.D., director of the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences and the senior author of the study. He is the Ruth Dow Doan Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and chief of the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in the U-M Medical School.
After administering the vaccine, the researchers challenged the immune systems of immunized guinea pigs with injections of 1,000 times the lethal dose of Bacillus anthracis spores. All the animals survived, whereas none of the control animals did.
When the researchers delivered large doses of Bacillus anthracis spores directly into the animals' nasal tissue, they found that 40 percent to 70 percent of the immunized animals survived.
Because of the biosafety restrictions on the use of anthrax, these challenge experiments were done at the Batelle Memorial Institute and the University of Texas Medical Branch, which have labs federally approved for handling the pathogen.
The experiments so far have shown that the vaccine had no significant side effects and produced effective immunity for at least six months. The Michigan Nanotechnology Institute will seek funding to learn if the vaccine can produce immunity in primates as it does in rodents. Safety studies in humans are also in the early planning stage.
Scientists at the U-M earlier developed the nanoemulsion technique, which has been used to develop treatments for herpes and toenail fungus. The Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences was established at U-M in 2005 to develop and market medical and biological applications of nanotechnology. Patent applications for the nanoemulsion technology have been filed and exclusively licensed to NanoBio Corporation, an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based biotechnology company in which Baker has a financial interest. Other U-M authors of the study are: Katarzyna W. Janczak, Jeffrey J. Landers, and Paul Makidon, who worked with with collaborators from the Batelle Institute in Columbus, Ohio, and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
The research was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, via the Great Lakes Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research, and by the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences.
TheCattleSite News Desk


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Speed's Auto Auction
At Speed's Auto Auction we have vehicles that come from multiple sources.
Speed's Auto Auction located in Portland, Oregon is your one-stop shop for your auto auction needs. At Speed's Towing Auction we have vehicles that come from multiple sources. Some of our vehicles have been donated from private parties, Oregon charities, and that have been impounded. If you are in the Portland, OR area or just want to participate in online bidding, contact Speed's Auto Auction today at 503-408-0545!
Portland most commonly refers to: Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeastern United States Isle of Portland, England, a tied island in the English ChannelPortland may also refer to: == Places and establishments == === Australia === Cape Portland, Tasmania, a cape on the north-eastern tip of Tasmania Portland, New South Wales, a town with the first Australian cement works Portland, Victoria, a regional city and port City of Portland (Victoria), a former local government area (LGA) === Canada === Port Lands, Toronto, Ontario (sometimes mistakenly spelled "Portlands"), the eastern part of the Toronto waterfront Portland Island (British Columbia), a small island off the coast of Vancouver island Portland Inlet, an inlet between southeastern Alaska and British Columbia Portland Canal, an arm of Portland Inlet Portland Estates, Nova Scotia, an area of Halifax Portland, Ontario, a town north of Kingston, Ontario Portland, Newfoundland and Labrador, a village on the east coast of Newfoundland === Hong Kong === Portland Street, a popular business and shopping street in Hong Kong === Ireland === Portland, County Tipperary, a townland in North Tipperary === Jamaica === Portland Parish, on Jamaica's north-east coast Portland Point, Jamaica's southernmost point === New Zealand === Portland, New Zealand, a town south of Whangarei Portland Island (New Zealand), an island off the Mahia Peninsula === South Africa === Portland, Mitchells Plain, a neighborhood of Cape Town.
Argay Terrace, Arlington Heights, Bridgeton, Collins View, Cully Association Of Neighbors, East Columbia, East Portland, Eastmoreland, Far Southwest, Foster - Powell, Grant Park, Hawthorne, Hayhurst, Hazelwood, Hillsdale


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My name is Sarah and I blog over at Repeat Crafter Me. On my blog you will find kid crafts, DIY projects, crochet patterns and my attempts at cooking with the help of my Crock Pot. I am a busy mom of a two boys, so I rely on the convenience of my slow cooker each week. It's a real time saver! Crock Pot meals are quick and easy and the food always turns out tender and tasty.
Today I am sharing a 4 ingredient Crock Pot Nacho Dip! Yes, only 4 simple ingredients and you will have a yummy dip for your summer BBQ's. It's great on top of nachos, hot dogs, or just eaten with tortilla chips. This would also make a great party dip for the fast approaching football season!
Crock Pot Nacho Dip
1lb Velveeta cheese (half block)
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies
1/2 can of no-bean chili
1. Cube Velveeta cheese and add it and the rest of the ingredients to 2 quart Crock Pot. Give it a good stir.
2. Cook on LOW for 2 hours or until cheese is melted.
You can serve it in the crock pot! Leave it on low and your dip will stay nice and warm for your entire party. Feel free to make your own variation of this recipe. Don't add the chili if you are a vegetarian, or add fresh ground beef if you want a chunkier dip. However you make it, this is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
If you like this recipe and are interested in seeing more, stop by my blog Repeat Crafter Me for a new crock pot recipe each week!


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Fresh Relaxed Tee X Aidan Kelly Millennium Bridge
- Regular Price
- $47.00
- Sale Price
- $47.00
- Regular Price
- Unit Price
- Translation missing: en.general.accessibility.unit_price_separator
Organic Cotton certificate by GOTs (Global Organic Textile Standards) facilitates the future recycling of this project.
Protects the farmers with Healthy Soils for Future Generations.
Zero Use of Harmful Materials.
Uses 91% less water and reduces the Carbon Footprint by 46% compared to conventional cotton
Labels of this garment below:
Delivery within Ireland 2/3 days
Free Shipping on Orders over €100 in Ireland
Please check our delievery terms for International orders
Free Shipping on orders over €150 outside Ireland
Wash Cold @ 30c
If white wash with other whites
Turn inside out when washing
Never iron on the print
Hang Dry
Not right? Not a problem.
We have a 14 Day Cash Refund Policy & 21 Day Exchange Policy
Just email email@example.com with details before return.


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Human Papillomavirus - HPV is so common that almost everyone will be infected at some point. Estimates show that 79 million Americans are currently infected with 14 million new infections each year. videos
The HPV vaccine
cancer prevention. We want your children to be protected from cancer. Most people infected will never know they are. So even if your son or daughter waits until marriage to have sex, or only has one partner in the future, he/she could still be exposed if their partner were exposed. In clinical trials, the vaccine was shown to be extremely effective in cancer prevention.
Genital HPV Infection - Fact Sheet
What is genital HPV infection?
Genital human papillomavirus (also called HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are more than 40 types of HPV that can infect the genital areas of males and females. These HPV types can also infect the mouth and throat.
HPV can cause serious health problems, including genital warts and certain cancers. There is no certain way to tell who will develop health problems from HPV and who will not. In most cases HPV goes away by itself before it causes any health problems, and most people who become infected with HPV do not even know they have it.
HPV is not the same as herpes or HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). Both viruses can be passed on during sex, but they have different symptoms and cause different health problems.
Who is at risk for HPV?
Anyone who is having (or has ever had) sex can get HPV. HPV is so common that nearly all sexually-active men and women get it at some point in their lives. This is true even for people who only have sex with one person in their lifetime.How do people get HPV?
HPV is passed on through genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal sex. HPV may also be passed on during oral sex and genital-to-genital contact. HPV can be passed on between straight and same-sex partners—even when the infected person has no signs or symptoms.Most infected persons do not realize they are infected, or that they are passing HPV on to a sex partner. A person can still have HPV, even if years have passed since he or she has had sexual contact with an infected person. It is also possible to get more than one type of HPV.
In rare circumstances, a pregnant woman with genital HPV can pass the HPV on to her baby during delivery.
What are the potential health problems caused by HPV?
Most people with HPV never develop symptoms or health problems. Most HPV infections (90%) go away by themselves within two years. But, sometimes, HPV infections will persist and can cause a variety of serious health problems. Health problems that can be caused by HPV include
- Genital warts (warts on the genital areas);
- Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), a rare condition in which warts grow in the throat;
- Cervical cancer, cancer on a woman's cervix; and
- Other, less common, but serious cancers, including genital cancers (cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, or anus), and a type of head and neck cancer called oropharyngeal cancer (cancer in the back of throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils).
The types of HPV that can cause genital warts are not the same as the types of HPV that can cause cancers.
Signs and symptoms of health problems caused by HPV:
Genital warts usually appear as a small bump or group of bumps in the genital area. They can be small or large, raised or flat, or shaped like a cauliflower. Healthcare providers can usually diagnose warts by looking at the genital area. Warts can appear within weeks or months after sexual contact with an infected partner—even if the infected partner has no signs of genital warts. If left untreated, genital warts might go away, remain unchanged, or increase in size or number. The types of HPV that can cause genital warts are not the same as the types of HPV that can cause cancers.Cervical cancer usually does not cause symptoms until it is quite advanced. For this reason, it is important for women to get regular screening for cervical cancer. Screening tests can find early signs of disease so that problems can be treated early, before they ever turn into cancer.
Other cancers caused by HPV might not have signs or symptoms until they are advanced and hard to treat. Other HPV-associated cancers include some cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and oropharynx.
RRP is a condition in which warts grow in the throat. RRP can occur in children (juvenile-onset) and adults (adult-onset). These growths can sometimes block the airway, causing a hoarse voice or trouble breathing.
How does HPV lead to health problems?
In most cases the virus goes away and it does not lead to any health problems. However, when the virus persists, or does not go away, HPV can cause normal cells to become abnormal and, most of the time you cannot see or feel these cell changes.
- Warts can appear within months after getting HPV.
- Cancer often takes years—even decades—to develop after a person gets HPV.
How common are HPV and health problems caused by HPV?
HPV (the virus): Approximately 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV. About 14 million people become newly infected each year. HPV is so common that nearly all sexually-active men and women will get at least one type of HPV at some point in their lives.Genital warts: About 360,000 persons in the U.S. get genital warts each year.
Cervical cancer: About 10,300 women in the U.S. get cervical cancer each year.
Other cancers that can be caused by HPV, including some vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers: Each year in the U.S., HPV is thought to cause an estimated
- 2,100 vulvar cancers,
- 500 vaginal cancers,
- 600 penile cancers,
- 2,800 anal cancers in women,
- 1,500 anal cancers in men,
- 1,700 oropharyngeal cancers in women,* and
- 6,700 oropharyngeal cancers in men.*
About 21,000 of these cancers are potentially preventable by HPV vaccines.
Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is very rare. It is estimated that about 820 children get juvenile-onset RRP every year in the U.S.
What is the difference between HPV and HIV?
HPV is a different virus than HIV, and causes different health problems. HPV does not live in the blood cells, but rather lives on the skin. Also, whereas HIV can lead to AIDS, genital HPV can lead to genital warts and certain types of cancer. However, persons with HIV are more likely to get HPV and to develop health problems from HPV. This is especially true for anal cancer.
Does HPV affect a pregnant woman and her baby?
Women who are pregnant can get infected with HPV. Usually these infections do not cause any problems. But sometimes
- HPV leads to genital warts, which can grow during pregnancy. Women with genital warts during the late stages of pregnancy are more likely to have children with warts in the throat, a condition called recurrent respiratory papillomatosis; however, this is a very rare condition.
- Pregnant women can develop cervical cell changes due to HPV. These changes can be detected through routine cervical cancer screening. Women should get routine cervical cancer screening, even during pregnancy.
Is there a test for HPV?
HPV tests are available to help screen women aged 30 years and older for cervical cancer. These HPV tests are not recommended to screen men, adolescents, or women under the age of 30 years. There is no general HPV test for men or women to check one's overall "HPV status." Also, there is not an approved HPV test to find HPV in the mouth or throat.
How can HPV be prevented?
There are several ways that people can lower their chances of getting HPV:
- HPV vaccines are recommended for 11- or 12-year-old boys and girls. HPV vaccines are safe and effective, and can protect males and females against some of the most common types of HPV that can lead to disease and cancer. HPV vaccines are given in three shots over six months; it is important to get all three doses to get the best protection. Boys and girls at ages 11 or 12 are most likely to have the best protection provided by HPV vaccines, and their immune response to vaccine is better than older women and men.
- Girls and women: Two vaccines (Cervarix and Gardasil) are available to protect females against the types of HPV that cause most cervical cancers. One of these vaccines (Gardasil) also protects against most genital warts, and has been shown to protect against anal, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. Either vaccine is recommended for 11- and 12-year-old girls, and for females 13 through 26 years of age who did not get any or all of the shots when they were younger. These vaccines can also be given to girls beginning at 9 years of age.
- Boys and men: One vaccine (Gardasil) is available to protect males against most genital warts and anal cancers. Gardasil is recommended for 11- and 12-year-old boys, and for males 13 through 21 years of age who did not get any or all of the shots when they were younger. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men should receive the vaccine through age 26 years. Males 22–26 years of age may also get the vaccine.
- For those who choose to be sexually active, condoms may lower the risk of HPV. Condoms may also lower the risk of developing HPV-related diseases, such as genital warts and cervical cancer. To be most effective, condoms should be used with every sex act, from start to finish. HPV can infect areas that are not covered by a condom - so condoms may not fully protect against HPV.
- People can also lower their chances of getting HPV by being in a faithful relationship with one partner; limiting their number of sex partners; and choosing a partner who has had no or few prior sex partners. But even people with only one lifetime sex partner can get HPV, and it may not be possible to determine if a person who has been sexually active in the past is currently infected. Because HPV is so common, and almost every sexually-active person will get HPV at some time in their lives, it is important to protect against the possible health effects of HPV.
Can people prevent health problems caused by HPV?
Yes, there are different prevention strategies for different health problems caused by HPV. HPV vaccines can prevent many diseases and cancers caused by HPV. In addition to vaccination, there are other ways to lower the risk of health problems caused by HPV.
A person can lower their risk of
- Cervical cancer by getting routine screening if they are a woman aged 21–65 years (and following up on any abnormal results);
- Oropharyngeal cancers by avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol intake; and
- Genital warts by using condoms all the time and the right way.
Is there a treatment for HPV or health problems caused by HPV?
There is no treatment for the virus itself, but there are treatments for the health problems that HPV can cause:
- Genital warts can be removed with treatments applied by the provider or the person himself/herself. No one treatment is better than another. Some people choose not to treat warts, but to see if they disappear on their own. If left untreated, genital warts may go away, stay the same, or grow in size or number.
- Cervical cancer is most treatable when it is diagnosed and treated early. Women who get routine Pap tests and follow up as needed can identify problems before cancer develops. Prevention is always better than treatment. For more information visit www.cancer.org.
- Other HPV-related cancers are also more treatable when diagnosed and treated early. For more information visit www.cancer.org.
- Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) can be treated with surgery or medicines. Curing RRP can sometimes require many treatments or surgeries over a period of years.
Where can I get more information?
STD informationHPV Information
HPV Vaccination
Cancer Information
Cervical Cancer Screening
CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
CDC-INFO Contact Center
CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN)
P.O. Box 6003
Rockville, MD 20849-6003
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
National HPV and Cervical Cancer Prevention Resource Center American Sexual Health Association (ASHA)
P. O. Box 13827
Research Triangle Park, NC


text:
Bronze figure of a serpent which was broken in pieces by Hezekiah at the beginningof his reign (II Kings xviii. 4). It was identified with the bronze serpent raised by Moses in the desert in order to heal the Israelites from the bites of the poisonous serpents to which they were exposed (Num. xxi. 4-10). The Rabbis regarded the word "Nehushtan" as in the dual number, and believed that sacrifice to it involved the loss both of the present and of the future life (Midr. Esfah in Yalḳ., Num. 764). In the baraita Ber. 10b, which was incorporated in the Mishnah (Pes. iv. 8), the additional information is given that the destruction of the bronze serpent was applauded by the people.
Modern exegesis holds two different opinions in regard to the meaning of the word "Nehushtan," which is explained either as denoting an image of bronze, and as entirely unconnected with the word "naḥash" (serpent), or as a lengthened form of "naḥash" (comp. νεεσθάν in the Septuagint), and thus as implying that the worship of serpents was of ancient date in Israel. The assumption that the tradition about "Nehushtan" is not older than the time of Hezekiah is, however, not contested.
- Schenkl, Bibellexikon, s.v. Schlange;
- Herzog-Hauck, Real-Encyc. s.v. Schlange;
- Hastings, Dict. Bible.


text:
This is a topic I've been noodling on for quite some time. I was finally compelled to flesh out my thoughts and post this after reading two recent articles in the trades about the SEM agency RFP process and deciding it was time to share my POV (which will run as an abbreviated version of this post in Wednesday's Media Post's Search Insider column).
Disclaimer: I'm now working as an independent consultant so the opinions here are solely mine and do not reflect those of the companies I've worked for/with. The scenarios I describe below are not specific to any particular agency or client, rather they are based on both personal observations and anecdotes shared with me by a wide swath of players in the space including firms I've competed against and marketers I've never directly pitched.
Broke as a Joke
Having participated in over 50 formal RFP's during my tenure in the agency world -- ranging from full-service creative/media AOR pitches to SEM only -- and heard tales of many I hadn't been involved in from those on the front-lines, I can say unequivocally that the client/agency RFP process is broken. It's a model of inefficiency and ineffectiveness at a time when such attributes are the last thing marketers and agencies should be tolerating.
In fact, a recent survey of 184 client marketing execs showed consensus that the agency search process is "too time consuming," surfacing such complaints as, "You're told so many things that you're not sure what to believe."
Same Old Song and Dance
Here's a breakdown of the typical RFP process (and the drawbacks therein):
1. Client (either directly or through an agency search consultant) issues a brief and questionnaire to some 10-15 agencies they're interest in evaluating. The format varies -- I've received briefs as long as 15 pages and questionnaires over 100 questions. I've even seen RFP's issued with no brief. (Just guess what the business needs and scope of work are!) And, of course, there are the dreaded online RFP's where answers need to be submitted to spec (complete with character limits and no ability to use bullets, graphics, etc.) and agencies have to bid in real-time against each other to see who will offer the lowest price (as if they're selling pork bellies!)
2. Agency new business team completes the questionnaire with input from select senior client service and strategy personnel (who have to pull time away from their current clients throughout this process). Typically the questions fall into 2 buckets -- general questions about the agency that the new biz team can handle and questions about how the agency would handle the client's business that need to be customized for the client by folks in that discipline. The deepest thought is put into the cover letter that will accompany the response as it's the one piece of material sure to be read in full. Meanwhile, the agency finance department works on a staffing and fee model to address the SOW and pricing Q's in the questionnaire having very little idea of what the client really needs or has an appetite for. (After all, the agency has only been thinking about this client's business for a couple weeks tops and has very little access to historical data.) Oh, and did I mention how many trees are killed (and additional costs accrued) printing and shipping 10 copies of the 60-page RFP response to the client?
3. Client (or, more accurately, the client's RFP committee which includes a cross-section of departments that have a vested interest in the decision) reviews all RFP responses looking for specific points that they (or their procurement department) have outlined on a "scorecard" to whittle down the agency list to 3-5 finalists.
4. Finalist agencies are given an assignment to demonstrate their approach to the client's business. They're issued a more detailed brief and given a week or 2 to develop full-blown creative and/or media plans (that, mind you, become the intellectual property of the client once submitted) to present in person at the client's HQ. At this point agencies pull out all the stops, activating execs, senior client services personnel, and creative directors alike.
5. Client provides a Q&A session for all agencies to inquire about any vagaries in the brief and gather other required information to complete the assignment. Agencies send only top-level holding company execs for fear of tipping their hands to competing agencies about which agency brand and which individuals will actually be handling the pitch.
6. Client and agency attend a "working session" or "chemistry check" under the auspices of getting to know each other and the agency showing work in progress and obtaining client feedback. However, these sessions are typically accompanied by a list of capabilities questions the client would like the agency to address and, in order to check all the boxes, the agency creates a scripted presentation leading to one-sided dialogue.
7. Final meeting at client HQ. Agency delivers spec creative and media plans that immediately become the intellectually property of the client (accordingly, the best of which are likely to be executed by the winning agency, regardless of who it is) as well as revised staffing/fee proposals.
8. Client uses scorecards to determine front-runner and conducts lengthy meetings to try and reach consensus, leaving it to the CMO to intervene if needed and choose the winner.
9. Client asks leading agency to sharpen their pencils on staffing/fees before notifying them that they've won and giving them the desired timeframe to ramp up and be live in market.
10. Client (and/or search consultant) provides little, if any, feedback to losing shops other than the 3 top-level categories of their scorecard in which the agencies didn't measure up -- unless a prior personal relationship exists between agency and client (and/or search consultant), in which case the agency learns more than they should.
Update 5/8/09: I've illustrated the inane RFP process in an image-heavy PowerPoint I created for the Search Insider Summit.
Bitter, Table for 1
Yes, this is an overly-dramatic synopsis and, no, not every RFP goes down this way. To be fair, I have participated in pitches that were not mechanical and fostered deep mutual agency/client engagement and disclosure with reasonable timeframes and compelling assignments (and outcomes not based solely on price). Just going through one RFP that resembles the process above, though, is enough to make you a bit cynical.
Solutions, Not Problems
OK, clearly I wouldn't write this post unless I had some ideas for how we can fix this process.
First, a recap of the problems with the status quo:
1. Takes agencies away from current clients and drives up overhead costs while being forced to give away good ideas for free without having enough information to really know if their ideas are any good in the first place. Also makes it difficult for agencies to determine proper staffing, scope and fee levels due to limited visibility into client's business needs, organizational structure and historical performance.
2. Clients don't get a good feel for how their business will be managed. In some cases, they never meet the folks who'll actually be working on their biz ("Sold you the dream, now here's the team"), not to mention, anyone with enough budget can come up with a shiny 60-page RFP response and fancy spec creative or dashboard demo.
You Gotta Give to Receive
I propose we flip the RFP ecosystem on its head and make the clients do the heavy lifting.
Imagine this -- clients agree to participate in a system whereby they get to interview each other about the agencies that they use (or have used in the past).
You heard me right -- RFP questionnaires aren't submitted to the agency... rather to the agency's current and former clients. Who better to answer these Q's? And how else can you ensure that the information you (the client) are getting is factual and not just "pitch theater?"
Here are some Q's that would be appropriate:
1. Why did you choose the agency?
2. How responsive is the agency?
3. How innovative is the agency?
4. Has the agency been able to scale your program quarter-over-quarter? Year-over-year?
5. Is the agency proactive in giving you new ideas and recommendations?
6. What was required of you (the client) to implement the agency's recommendations?
7. What (if any) aspect of your (the client's) organizational structure prevented the agency from doing its best work?
8. Is the agency's reporting suite leading edge? Do they provide real-time access to data?
9. How many changes have you had in personnel servicing your account?
10. How many times in the past quarter did the agency miss a deadline?
11. What rates is the agency able to negotiate from media and technology publishers?
12. What is the agency's compensation model?
13. How often has the agency tried to increase their SOW and fees? How often were those requests justified?
14. Why did you fire the agency? (if applicable)
In Peers We Trust
Another key component missing from the RFP process is how the considered set of agencies is developed. Too many clients simply choose from lists of top awarded creative shops or media agencies with the highest billings. These are only good criteria in a world where no other data points on agencies are available (which, of course, happens to be the world we live in today).
Sure there are the occasional 3rd-party agency evaluations that score shops on criteria like strategic planning and technology chops but their methodology is suspect and they're too cumbersome to keep up-to-date (not to mentions, agencies often have to pay to play). And, while agency search consultants do a good job of keeping up on the hot shops, it's impossible for them to keep tabs on everyone.
As part of the simplification of the RFP process, we need to create an agency ranking index based on the most important criteria of all -- client satisfaction.
I'm a big fan of the Ultimate Question as a way to cut through all the clutter and get to the heart of how good a job a company is doing. Responses to the question, "How likely is it that you would recommend this company to a friend or colleague?" tell us more about that company than any exhaustive questionnaire or fancy demo ever will.
We need a system whereby all agencies are required to create a 3rd-party audited list of current and former clients including duration of engagement (ie, number of years under contract) and breakdown of service offerings. Then, each quarter, a 3rd party asks all clients to anonymously rate their agencies on the Ultimate Question. The resulting list would be sortable by agency service offering and client category and be made available to the general public for a nominal fee (to cover the survey hosting costs).
This model is really nothing more than a peer rating system for agencies -- not unlike Yelp for restaurants or eBay for merchandise sellers. Just as LinkedIn is the Facebook for business, I guess I'm suggesting a review site for marketing communications agencies. I firmly believe in the power of transparent and self-policing communities.
Ask Not What The Agency Will Do For You, Ask What Have They Done For Others
Another upgrade to the RFP process that I propose is to do away with spec creative and media plans and instead have agencies present actual case studies of work completed for other clients -- and have those other clients actually co-present with the agency.
Sure, case studies are usually part of the process today but they don't go deep. Instead, the profound insights are saved for solving the problems of the client conducting the RFP. Marketers should be as interested in the actual results an agency has delivered and the process by which those insights were generated. This, along with the client-to-client interviews, should tell them everything they want to know about what they can expect from the agency in question.
Granted, it's a bit of a stretch to get clients to take the time to help their current agencies win more business but, if you were a current client of an agency that was just RFP'd for another client, would you rather have your senior team members pulled off your biz for the pitch duration or dive deeper into your own biz to merchandise success to date for a case study?
Try Before You Buy
The fourth major disruption, er… improvement that I'd make to the RFP process is to install a 3-month trial period whereby client and "winning" agency get to work together before determining scopes of work and fees.
This will help us overcome what Malcolm Gladwell has called "The Quarterback Problem." In his recent article in the New Yorker, Gladwell describes how difficult it is for NFL scouts to predict how good a college quarterback will be once he gets to the professional level. There are just too many variables that go into what makes a good quarterback and the college game is so much different than the pros. He adds, "There are certain jobs where almost nothing you can learn about the candidates before they start predicts how they'll do once they're hired."
I think you could also call this "The Marriage Problem." How a person acts throughout the courtship, dating, wedding, and honeymoon phases are not always a good indication of how strong a partner they'll be 'til death do them part.
These situations are certainly analogous to the Client/Agency RFP process. Often times, very little of what an agency demonstrates during the pitch is indicative of how they'll act as an agency of record. The Ultimate Question ratings are one step towards overcoming this challenge. Another, more radical, notion would be to allow agencies and clients to wait until after the honeymoon is over and they've consummated their marriage before finalizing their vows.
How would this work? Rather than include SOW and fee negotiations in the RFP vetting process, clients should outline upfront exactly what work they want done and what they are willing to pay for the first 90 days of the engagement. Likely, this period will consist of transition from old agency and delivery of initial creative and/or media strategy and other outputs like reporting dashboards (that, today, are included in the RFP process). First 90-day SOW and fees would be non-negotiable and agencies could choose to opt-out from the RFP at the outset if they're not agreeable.
Then, after the RFP process plays out and a winner is chosen, that agency delivers on said SOW and collects fees accordingly. During that time, it's able to better assess the true intricacies of the client's business and develop a proper long-term SOW, staffing, and fee proposal. Meanwhile, the client is able to determine if the agency is truly worth its salt. At this point, with both parties fully armed, negotiations commence.
If agreement cannot be reached between agency and client after 90 days on go-forward SOW and fees, an industry-standard severance fee is awarded to the agency and all deliverables remain the property of the client. The client then begins the RFP process anew or just finds a shop willing to execute the other agency's concepts.
Break it Down, Charlie Brown
So the new RFP process would work like this:
1. When interested in conducting an agency review, client combs the list of 3rd-party audited agency ratings and service offerings, choosing 10-15 shops it wants to consider.
2. Client issues short brief outlining current situation and detailed SOW and fees it is willing to pay for first 90 days of engagement (transition plus initial creative/media plan). Agencies have the opportunity to opt in or out.
3. Client chooses 2-3 clients to interview from each agency that opts in -- ideally, they'd select a mix of short and long-tenured current clients as well as a former client to get a well-rounded picture of how each agency performs.
4. Client schedules 30-minute calls with each of the selected clients to ask some of the Q's outlined above. (Yes, doing the math would make this as long as a 23-hour process. But I'd argue that's less than if they actually read 60-page RFP responses word-for-word from each of these shops.)
5. Client narrows down list to 2-3 finalist agencies and chooses 1 client from each agency from whom they'd like to see a full-blown case study.
6. Client issues a more detailed brief to finalists including background on the company, brands, products, challenges, budgets, etc.
7. Finalist agencies and selected client co-present case study and highlight application to potential client's business.
8. Client picks winning agency and transition commences.
9. After 90 days, client and agency negotiate fees for duration of engagement. (Recall that first 90-days fee is pre-determined at outset of RFP process and, if agreement can't be reached, agency is awarded severance and there's a parting of ways.)
10. Client and agency live happily ever after ever.
True Win-Win
Outside of agency search consultants (who risk becoming disintermediated unless they adopt this new process and find a way to continue to add value in it), everyone wins with this new system. Here are some specific reasons why my proposed RFP process would benefit clients and agencies. (I know, just what this post needs… another list!)
Advantages to Clients
1. Takes the BS out of the process. Decisions made on real successes (and failures), not spec work or salesy RFP responses.
2. Provides "skin in the game" and makes clients an indispensible part of the process.
3. Fosters connections among the client community which can lead to valuable cross- learning and networking opportunities.
4. Updated agency rankings (via Ultimate Question) give "real-time" visibility into current shop's relative performance (and showing if the grass really is greener).
5. Co-presentation of case study shows true agency/client chemistry. It will be obvious how much that client wants to see its agency win.
6. 3rd party audits keeps agencies honest as far as taking on conflicting accounts. (You know what they say --"2 is a conflict, 3 is a specialty.")
7. Protects clients from having to disclose historical performance and other confidential information until new agency is under contract.
8. 90-day "grace period" gives client clear visibility into how good a fit the agency is in "real-world" situations.
Advantages to Agencies
1. Closes feedback loop. Agencies will know where they stand at all times relative to client satisfaction (based on Ultimate Question ratings).
2. Giving clients what they want/need (rather than size of media billings or number of creative awards won) will earn a place in the considered set when RFP's are issued.
3. Doesn't require spending time or money delivering inane 60-page RFP responses or developing actual solutions for potential clients until they're chosen as the winner (and start getting paid for said work).
4. Keeps personnel focused on current clients and allows them to dig deeper into ones selected for finalist presentations (as they build the case studies).
5. Allows for proper scoping of work and fee setting by giving agencies 90 days to learn the client's business and truly understand their needs, intricacies, and quirks before having to negotiate.
The Flip Side
Clearly, my proposed model is not perfect. There are some hang-ups including:
1. All clients would need to participate. This wouldn't work if half of an agency's roster of clients refused to be interviewed or co-present a case study.
2. Issues with client confidentiality. More and more these days, the competitive lines are blurring. Some clients would not be comfortable sharing their case study with even tangential competitors. (Who doesn't eBay compete with?)
3. Clients might have ulterior motives and not want their agency to win new business (ie, some clients enjoy being the big fish in a small pond). Accordingly, they'd be enticed to ding their agency on the Ultimate Question or in RFP interviews to ensure that they continue to command the agency's full attention.
4. Agencies that are in "turnaround mode" will have a difficult time winning new business as their Ultimate Question ratings sag. Put another way, previous experience is not always the best indicator of future performance. (See my Malcolm Gladwell reference above).
5. Agencies that have fewer clients will have skewed Ultimate Question ratings. Although, I'm sure someone smarter than me can figure out how to normalize the data.
6. Moving the fee negotiations until after the business is awarded and managed for 90 days could create problems.
A. Clients could become "agency hoppers" -- switching religiously after getting fresh thinking and planning. (Although I'd argue the system would be self-regulating with agencies opting out from pitching such clients and the severance fee being a deterrent -- not to mention, switching only gets you new ideas and plans, not actual execution… I don't know many clients that can afford to go a few quarters without implementing a program).
B. Agencies could skimp on their end of the bargain and deliver shoddy work and collect the 90 day fee plus severance. (Although, again the system would self-correct as their Ultimate Question score gets dinged).
7. Puts incumbent agencies in lame duck situations over the 90 day transition period until the new agency is up and running. Although, this wouldn't be much different from the way things are now. (And improving their Ultimate Question rating should be a constant motivator.)
Feel the Burn
It's unlikely that my model will see the light of day anytime soon. Currently, clients hold all the power in the RFP ecosystem and, with the walls falling down around them right now, the pain they're feeling is not in the agency selection process, it's in declining revenue and increasing pressure from the C-suite to deliver results. I could argue that these issues are inextricably linked but I'll save my breath.
My hope is that this post will spark some discussion and, when we emerge from these dark economic times and truly reinvest in client/agency relationships, we'll think long and hard about the most important part of any client/agency engagement -- how it begins.
Baby Steps
Meanwhile, here are some practical things clients and agencies can do to infuse some rigor and reason into the current RFP process:
1. Check references -- don't just ask for them. I've been required to submit references on at least 75% of the RFP's I've submitted. I can count on one hand the number of times I've heard from my references that someone actually called them.
2. Provide access to historical data. Take the guesswork out of the equation for the agencies. Allow them to dig in to your actual numbers and see if they can draw correlations and uncover opportunity.
3. Give longer lead times. I know your business moves at the speed of light but any agency that has the resources available to drop everything to work on your RFP is probably not an agency you'd want. (After all, what are they going to do once you're a client and the next RFP crosses that agency's desk?)
4. Be upfront about what you expect in terms of scope of services, reporting frequency, account staff seniority, etc.
1. Be selective in the RFPs you pursue. Knowing how extensive they are, you can't chase them all.
2. Don't create scripted presentations for chemistry checks and work sessions. Use those meetings as intended.
3. Be upfront when talking about who will be working on the client's business. If you don't know or they aren't hired, just say so.
4. Save room in your annual budget for RFPs. It's a cost of doing (and winning) business right now.
5. Consider hiring (or allocating) strategy resources solely for RFPs. That way, you don't have to pull them off client work when the time comes to pitch.
6. Focus more on presenting concrete case studies with proven results than speculative creative and media plans.
How 'Bout a Revolution?
So who's with me on my quest to fix the Client/Agency RFP process? Are there any clients out there willing to RFP their biz under these guidelines? Are there any agency folk willing to submit to quarterly 3rd party audits?
Not sure I have aspirations to become an agency search consultant but depending on the response I get to this post (which somehow surpassed 4,000 words so, if you've made it this far, please go one step further and drop a comment), I may just move in that direction.
Let's see if we can't collectively crowdsource a better Client/Agency RFP process to replace this crazy game of poker we've all been playing.


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What if I told you that you could get your personal home theater with eight steps?
That's right, you no longer have to wish and dream about being a rich and famous individual, you can have a home theater with your own affordable budget. This way you can enjoy a family movie night without having to leave your own home. Home theater systems are no longer only an extravagance for the rich and famous.
The very first step is that you have to choose a location.
Now it has been said by experts that the idyllic space for your perfect home theater has the measurements, 20 feet long by 13 feet wide. Now typically, this theater space is not part of the rest of the house because of the sound, which can have the potential to disturb others. So if it can be done, build your theater off the family room in its own separate wing.
The second step is to frame and insulate. Research has shown that when it comes to building the shell of the home theater, it will be the same process as other additions to your home. The only difference will be the insulation, which is highly important when it comes to blocking out the noise of the home theater from other parts of the house. The standard insulation for the floor, ceiling and the exterior wall is a rating of R30. You will also need to use R11 to loosely pack into the interior walls.
Step three is pre-wiring the surround sound. The majority of home theaters use 7.1-surround sound and then there is the current audio wiring that homeowners are using, which is 9.1. Before setting up the surround sound, mark where each speaker will go in the room.
Next, you will have to pre-wire the video projector. Now if you want to go big with a truly large-screen theater, all you will need is two cables to pre-wire the projector. You will need an HDMI cable, and a CATS control wire. Crestron control systems are great for this.
The fifth step is to pre-wire the lighting. This is essential when it comes to giving your family the perfect movie theater atmosphere. So make sure that there is lighting in the ceiling and along the side walls. You'll need to have electrical wiring to both of these locations.
The sixth step is to install the drywall and the sound barriers. Just remember when installing your drywall, you will need to make incisions so that you will be able to pre-wire the electrical and audio cables.
The seventh step is setting up both the Newtek video and the sound systems. A little decorating tip is to camouflage the extra speakers you have with the acoustic panels.
The final and eighth step is to furnish your theater with the theater style seating. You can use sofas and loveseats or even a sectional, but for the best effect install theater-style seating. You will need two rows of four seats.
So, there you go. Enjoy your theater.


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Deep-brain stimulation (DBS) may stop uncontrollable shaking in patients with Parkinson's disease and essential tremor by imposing its own rhythm on the brain, according to two studies published recently by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers in the journal Movement Disorders. An article addressing brain stimulation for essential tremor was published online Aug. 28, 2012; a related article on Parkinson's disease was released May 30.
DBS uses an electrode implanted beneath the skin to deliver electrical pulses into the brain more than 100 times per second. Although this technology was approved by the Food and Drug Administration more than 15 years ago, it remains unclear how it reduces tremor and other symptoms of movement disorders.
With the help of electroencephalography or EEG — electrodes placed on the scalp — study authors used new techniques to suppress the electrical signal associated with the DBS electrode. That enabled the first clear, non-invasive EEG measurements of the underlying brain response during clinically effective, high-frequency brain stimulation in humans.
The results show that nerves in the cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain, fire with rapid and precise timing in response to individual stimulus pulses. This suggests that DBS may synchronize the firing of nerve cells and break the abnormal rhythms associated with involuntary movements in Parkinson's disease and essential tremor.
The newly identified rhythm was captured during effective DBS treatment, so it could represent a new physiological measure of the stimulation dose, say the authors. If validated, such a yardstick could help to guide the fine-tuning of DBS stimulator settings in patients for more lasting relief, fewer side effects and less-frequent battery-replacement surgeries.
"Though it's clear that more work is needed to better understand these initial observations, we're very excited by our findings because they may provide a biological marker for improvement in the symptoms of these patients," says Harrison Walker, M.D., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Neurology's Division of Movement Disorders and lead author of the study.
DBS may synchronize the firing of nerve cells and break the abnormal rhythms associated with involuntary movements in Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. |
In current clinical practice, stimulator settings are adjusted by trial and error, requiring careful observation of changes in symptoms over multiple clinic visits. But such immediate, visual feedback may not be available as DBS is applied to neurological or psychiatric conditions such as epilepsy, severe depression or obsessive compulsive disorder. In these diseases, an effective dose measurement could be especially useful in optimizing DBS therapy.
A peak emerges
In both studies, EEG data revealed that nerve cells in the cerebral cortex discharged about one one-thousandth of a second, or one millisecond, after each stimulus pulse was delivered into the brain.
The authors argue that this rapid response on the brain's surface most likely represented "backfiring" along extensions of cortical nerve cells called axons that connect them to deeper regions within the brain where the DBS electrodes were placed. Interestingly, this rapid response on the brain surface was present in both studies, regardless of the stimulation target or the disease state of the patient.
Although prior studies had hinted at these brain responses, they were unable to measure them directly because of interference from the competing electrical signal emitted by the DBS pulse itself. Walker and his team reversed the polarity of the stimulation pulse, in effect subtracting the DBS signal and leaving only the EEG signal associated with the brain activity.
The new technique also enabled the researchers to show that the size of the brain response at one millisecond after a DBS pulse is dependent on the intensity or voltage of the stimulus pulse, and that larger brain responses were closely associated with improvement in tremor.
Along with Walker, study authors within the UAB Department of Neurology included He Huang, Christopher Gonzalez, James Bryant and Jeffrey Killen, along with Robert Knowlton, M.D. (now at the University of Texas at Houston Medical Center), Erwin Montgomery Jr., M.D., and Ray Watts, M.D., dean of the UAB School of Medicine. Additional contributions were made by Gary R. Cutter, Ph.D., in the UAB Department of Biostatistics in the School of Public Health, and Barton Guthrie, M.D., in the Division of Neurosurgery. The study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
"While early, this work has tremendous implications for the understanding of brain mechanisms responsible for a number of neurological and psychiatric diseases," says Guthrie. "Further studies are planned to confirm these measures and mechanisms and we believe this insight will soon make valuable contributions to the next generation of DBS treatments."


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Gay Marriage:
Activist Judge Logic Versus Monsignor Logic
Gay Marriage in the United States
The Obama administration has been promoting the gay agenda for some time now, including the 2011 White House announcement of it's intention not to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). DOMA is a federal law that allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages granted under laws of other states.
By refusing to defend DOMA, the White House fails to defend and enforce the law of the United States, taking upon itself the authority to override laws which have been passed by Congress, to override laws which represent the people of the United States.
In fact, lawsuits are in progress against President Obama over his abuse of executive authority, particularly abuse of executive orders.
Gay Marriage in Wisconsin
Similar things are happening in Wisconsin.
In November of 2006, 59% of the voters in Wisconsin approved an amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution that would ban same-sex marriage or any substantially similar legal status. The people of Wisconsin had spoken, and gay marriage was banned in Wisconsin.
Aside: To complicate things, her ruling did not remove the ban; it simply declared the ban unconstitutional. When hopeful county clerks in Madison began issuing marriage licenses to hopeful same-sex couples, Judge Crabb had to restate the fact that she had not issued an injunction allowing marriage licenses to be issued. Gay marriage was still "on hold" in Wisconsin.
Background on this Judge
- 2009 – Judge Crabb ruled that the Wisconsin Judicial Commission's code of judicial conduct, which restricts political activism by judges, was unconstitutional. Translation: Judges no longer have to behave impartially; they are now free to donate to political campaigns and to support political candidates.
- 2010 – Judge Crabb ruled in favor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation's claim that the National Day of Prayer was unconstitutional. (This decision was reversed unanimously by a federal appellate court in 2011 due to lack of standing.)
- 2013 – Judge Crabb ruled that the housing tax exemption for pastors is unconstitutional, again ruling in favor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation's law suit. .
- 2014 – And now, Judge Crabb just ruled in favor of several same-sex couples, ruling that Wisconsin's ban on same-sex marriages was unconstitutional.
Judge's Unexpected Maneuver
Judge Crabb's surprising transition to controversial and obviously "progressive" rulings invites speculation.
Do Judge Crabb's recent progressive rulings reflect an impartial legal judgement?
Her rulings seem to reflect instead a prejudice that has little to do with logic or the law.
Is Judge Crabb's prejudice philosophical? Religious? Personal?
Could the Judge have been conscripted by a progressive organization such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation, in whose favor she has ruled more than once, and which represents only 1 per thousand atheists and one per 30,000 Americans?
Could it be that the Obama Administration recruited her to help with its progressive agenda, including President Obama's efforts to promote the gay agenda?
What's in it for Judge Crabb?
Why would a Judge suddenly make time for progressive controversial rulings?
Is anybody paying her, or rewarding her by some alternate means?
Regardless of her motivation, Judge Crabb started her progressive campaign with the most controversial ruling– eliminating for the first time the requirement that Judges behave impartially.
This set the stage for the chaotic rulings that followed.
What Is A Judge If Not Impartial?
A judge is a person who has the power to make decisions on cases brought before a court of law.
It is assumed that a judge rules fairly, impartially, and consistently with the rule of law.
The Wisconsin Judicial Commission's code of judicial conduct spelled that out.
But Judge Crabb took it upon herself to reverse this requirement of a judge to be impartial.
Such a decree, eliminating the requirement of impartiality for Judges, invalidates the purpose of the entire court system, and plunges society into a free-for-all-power-grab in which anyone who can bribe one judge wins.
The idea that one Judge could single-handedly make such a fundamental change in the functioning of American government is most disturbing.
The suggestion that a Judge who supports Planned Parenthood and Pro-Abortion political candidates publicly and financially could make impartial decisions on abortion as Judge is naive and unprofessional.
People who cannot limit their personal political activity in deference to the position of public trust that they hold as Judges are, by definition, not sufficiently impartial to hold the position of a Judge.
More Prejudiced Judgements (Progressive Proclamations)
Having set the stage with her first decision, having declared her right to rule without impartiality by Progressive Proclamation, Judge Crabb then went to town with subsequent prejudiced progressive proclamations, culminating now with her attempt to reverse Wisconsin's same sex marriage ban.
Judge Crabb's behavior since 2009 is reminiscent of the Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland), the ultimate parody of impulsive and irresponsible authority.
Ironically, President Obama held a lavish Alice in Wonderland-themed Halloween Party at the White House in 2009, in the midst of a national recession, a party he kept secret for over two years, knowing that it would be bad PR.
Little did the nation know that the upside-down world of Alice in Wonderland, in which logic and even the laws of gravity are often reversed, would soon be the norm coming out of the White House and it's progressive appointees. (See also Embarrassing Women.)
The Judge's Logic
- The Judge first emphasized that the right of homosexuals to enter into a marriage contract is not related to religious teaching, to the morality of such unions, or to the ability of gay partners to maintain a marriage relationship or to raise children.
- Then the Judge stated that the right of homosexuals to marry is related to liberty and equality, two cornerstones of the rights protected by the United States Constitution.
The Fault in the Judge's Logic
Yet ALL legal contracts are not only related to the person's ability to fulfill the contract, but are dependent upon the person's ability to fulfill the contract:
- Underage people cannot drive.
- People with poor eyesight cannot be airplane pilots.
- People without necessary qualifications cannot teach, cannot design bridges, practice at hospitals, or become police officers.
The Judge's second point, that the right to marry is related to liberty and equality also fails the logic test.
ALL citizens in the United States are allowed to marry, to marry a person of the opposite sex, in the manner that marriage has been defined by, globally by all cultures for millennia.
The question here is whether a court has the right to redefine marriage, and what the legal consequences of such a redefinition could be.
Judge Crabb seems to have missed this fact, as she does not discuss the right of the court to redefine marriage, nor the legal implications of such a redefinition in her ruling.
Aside: the legal ramifications of the redefinition of marriage would, in fact, redefine our entire society- see Bishop Morlino in Redefining Marriage Has Domino Effect on Family , Matt Barber in Marriage Equality = Marriage Extinction, and What's Wrong With Gay Marriage (my previous blog post).
Monsignor Logic
It did not surprise me when I found a much better, more logical analysis of the legality of gay marriage in my Catholic Parish's Sunday bulletin. The article was not written by a lawyer, nor by a judge, but by a Catholic priest, a Monsignor.
The answer came from my favorite Monsignor, the Pastor and Rector of my parish, Madison's Cathedral Parish- Monsignor Kevin Holmes.
Monsignor Holmes was born in Janesville, WI, holds graduate degrees in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and studied for the priesthood a the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium.
Monsignor Holmes addressed the two most pertinent questions:
- Why Does the State Involve Itself with Regulating Marriage
and - Why Don't Gays Have the Necessary Qualifications for Marriage?
Here is Monsignor Holmes' very logical analysis of why there are legitimate reasons to restrict marriage to persons of opposite sex:
(from the Cathedral Parish Sunday bulletin, June 15, 2014)
From The Monsignor:
So There We Have It-
Monsignor Logic Versus Activist Judge Logic.
Sorry, Judge Crabb- Monsignor Wins!


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TSAEE Project Photos
January 21st, 2017 by admin
Good Jobs and Economic Growth
Photos © The Marquis Project.
Photos © The Marquis Project.
(comments are closed).
The Marquis Project is a non-profit, charitable non-governmental organization dedicated to making our world better. Established in 1979 by development activists in and around Brandon, Manitoba, it is sustained by the support and participation of individuals, families, congregations, schools and community organizations. What began as a small resource centre on world issues serving southwestern Manitoba is now a nationally recognized non-governmental organization.


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A girl who cares. Who know how to love. No matter what you said and no matter what you've done she will always love you no matter what
Clarke is such a good friend!
by thetribearcher April 20, 2017
Down to earth badass. Cares for anybody close to her. Doesn't let anyone get in her way. Gorgeous! She'll do anything for her people even if it means she dies.
by mrsspencerreid_1 January 20, 2019
is an amazing Man who loves his family above himself. He is intelligent and inquisitive. He loves to work with his hands and is able to fix anything. He is fiercely loyal and upholds the ideals of truth and justice. He will always fight for the underdog and will help all those who stand in need. He loves to laugh. He is witty, and has a way of finding joy in all the little things. He is very practical with a streak of imagination and child like wonder that twinkles in his eyes. He is an amazing lover and will always take care of the woman he is with, taking time and making her know that she is the most beautiful girl in the world.Clarke is the man every man wants to be like and every woman wants to be with.
You are so lucky to have a man like Clarke..He is a Dream.I thought they only were like that in the movies.
by Sparkles Harvey February 5, 2010
An english name meaning a teacher or consultant, derived from the egyptian hieroglyphic meaning to love. It was first intended as a male name, but now is being used more frequently as female. A girl named Clarke is a loyal friend, who will protect those she loves at any cost. Other common characterisitics include humor, spontaneity, competitiveness, and hard-working. The most common hair and eye color for women named Clarke are blonde hair and brown eyes. The most common medical traits found in those named Clarke can include: anxiety, ADD, ADHD, diabetes, depression and breast cancer.
by tmont21 September 17, 2011
is a lovely man. he has a huge dick. he is great at basketball, he's shooting and dribbling skills is like Stephen Curry. no one can defeat him. he is like a son of Stephen Curry with great basketball skills. All the women will like him because he is sweet,loyal and honest to women. you are lucky if you are his girlfriend/wife
by Clarke Christian Yap December 20, 2015
This word is derived from the ancient Egyptian hieroglyph meaning to love, or love physically. Men named Clarke are typically studs and have gargantuan trouser snakes. Women with the name Clarke are notoriously good slam pieces and should be hunted down and smashed as often as possible. It is always recommended to wear a rubber when engaging a Clarke because you can't be sure who else has been there.
Dude 1: "Bro, I met this Clarke the other day at the laundry mat and loaned her 25 cents. She was so grate she jumped my bones right there."
Dude2: "NO WAY!!!!"
Dude 1: "Yeah man, those tile floores are a killer on your knees."
Dude2: "NO WAY!!!!"
Dude 1: "Yeah man, those tile floores are a killer on your knees."
by The Glad Pirate Named Roger January 14, 2011
Josh: "Since splitting with Callum, all she does all day is stay at home, eating ice cream and watching re-runs of 'Lost'. She's getting quite clarke."
by cummings2k10 July 9, 2010


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Alabama, Florida and Mississippi are preparing for states of emergency as Subtropical Storm Alberto heads toward the Gulf of Mexico.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott issued the declaration for all 67 counties in his state. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant authorized the use of the National Guard, his office said in a statement.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency for 40 counties that will go into effect at 6 a.m. Sunday, according to a statement from her office. Ivey activated the state's Emergency Operations Center in Clanton, the statement said. The Alabama National Guard also activated its High Water Evacuation Teams.
The first named storm of this season, Alberto is expected to strengthen as it moves up the Gulf this weekend, the National Hurricane Center said, bringing heavy rains and possible floods to Florida and much of the Southeast in the coming days.
"Do not think that only areas in the cone will be impacted — everyone in our state must be prepared," Scott said in a statement.
Cuba is expected to get as much as 15 inches of rain, the hurricane center said in an advisory Saturday morning, and the Florida Keys and South Florida could get as much as 10 inches.
"Swells from Alberto will create dangerous surf and rip currents along the Gulf Coast," the National Weather Service said.
The center of the storm is expected to be move close to the western tip of Cuba on Saturday afternoon, then track up the eastern Gulf of Mexico in the night through Monday.
The city of New Orleans urged residents and businesses to "get prepared and stay informed" about the storm. The main threat is from heavy rain that could lead to flooding, the city said, but also high winds and storm surge could cause problems.
"I strongly encourage everyone to be safe and stay informed," Mayor LaToya Cantrell said in a statement.
Hurricane season doesn't officially begin until June 1, but Alberto apparently missed the memo. The tropical system became a subtropical storm Friday, the hurricane center said. As it travels up the warm waters of the Gulf, it could well become a full tropical storm.
As of 11 a.m. ET Saturday, parts of Cuba and the Florida Keys were under a tropical storm warning, and a tropical storm watch is in effect for parts of Florida, Georgia and Louisiana, meaning the conditions for a full storm are possible in the next 48 hours.
The early storm doesn't necessarily mean it will be a busier-than-usual hurricane season though. The official National Hurricane Center forecast released Thursday said the season is likely to be near or above normal.


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Residents of St. Bruno say the mayor is abusing his power by having police escort citizens out of meetings -- instead of answering their questions.
Critics say there has been a strong police presence at town council meetings since the fall, and that on a number of occasions the mayor has asked those officers to remove people.
In December one man got into a shouting match with the mayor, at which point police removed the individual, and three others who objected.
Citizens who regularly attend meetings say tensions have been high, but that there has never been any indication of violence, or any other action warranting police intervention.
"When there's that confrontation, there's a lot of frustration. But you've never seen any act of violence so we think this police presence is absolutely not necessary," said Marilou Alarie.
Mayor Claude Benjamin has been the subject of death threats, but Longueuil police determined in January that those threats were coming from a Calgary man, originally from the Quebec City region, with no ties to Saint-Bruno.
Many of the people angry with mayor Claude Benjamin say they are seeking clear answers about a construction project planned in town.
The Hummingbird Woods project calls for building 30 houses in the middle of a forest.
This week five police officers observed the council meeting, which critics say is an abuse of power.
Michele Archambault, the lone opposition councillor, agrees with people who are angry with the constant police presence.
"I think it's a misuse of power and security," said Archambault.
Mayor Claude Benjamin refused to talk with CTV Montreal following the meeting.
His critics say that is typical behaviour from the mayor.
"People want their mayor and his councillors to be a lot more transparent," said Vincent Fortier.
Benjamin has also been subject to threats, including death threats